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0'. D. P. GIBSON. Electrical Gas Lighter.

No. 238,383. Patented March 1,1881.

mi gsifis w ITHE$5ES J/ N.PFI'ERS, PHOTOUTHOGRAPHER. WASWNGTON o cUNITED STATES PATENT Enron,

CHARLES D. P. GIBSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICAL GAS-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 238,383, dated March 1,1881. Application filed September 28, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES D. 1. GIBSON, acitizen of the United States, residing in New York city, in the State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements relating toElectrical Gas-Lighters, of which the following is a specification.

My improved lighter is adapted for those situations where the hand ofthe attendant may be applied separately to each burner, or to a wireconnected to each, to effect the lightmg.

The improvements lie in the means of insulation and of supporting thelever which makes and breaks the contact, and in the connecting of theparts for accomplishing the latter end. The lever carries a spring-arm,projecting laterally therefrom. The lighting motion sweeps this leveracross a stop, which is insulated and put in electrical connection witha suitable battery, while the lever and its spring-arm are in connectionwith a system of gas-pipes and with the ground. It follows that at eachmotion of the spring-arm, in either direction past the stop, it makesand breaks the circuit, so as to induce a spark. This takes place sonear the burner and in such relation thereto as to ignite the gas.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawing forms a part of this specification, andrepresents the novel parts with so much of the ordinary parts as isnecessary to show their relation thereto. It is a side view on a largescale.

Referring to the figure and to the letters of reference marked thereonAis the gas-bracket, threaded, as usual, to receive B, which is anordinary burner. The screw-threaded portion of the bracket A issufficiently long to allow of the insertion of a washer in the jointbetween the tip B and the bracket A. I employ a piece of brass or othersuitable material, of which the base D is practically a washer, and isheld firmly in the joint between A and B. The upright portion or body Dis in one with the washer D, and forms the support for the pin or pivotE and the spring F, as also for the screws G, which hold the upright barE. On the pivot E is mounted a bell-crank lever,

M, certain portions of which will be designated by additional marks 1 Moperated in one direction by a wire. I, pulled by hand, attached to thearm M, and in the other direction by the spring 13. The other arm, M isat each vibration moved in a path approximating the gas-jet.

J is a slender wire, of spring-brass, coiled around the arm M andfastened at the point 9', terminating with an extension toward theburner, as shown, constituting a spring-arm adapted to come in contactwit-h the bar H, and induce sparks at each making and breaking ofcontact with the upright H.

K K are stop-pins fixed in D to meet the corresponding shoulders on thevibrating part M, and prevent its being turned too far in eitherdirection.

L is a wire leading from a battery (not represented) and connecting withthe upright bar H at the point I. This bar is insulated from the body Dand also from the screws G G, by hard rubber T, the same lying in asufficiently thick layer between the bar H and the part D and also lyingunder the head of each screw, and extending inward through the bararound each screw-shank.

It will now be understood that all the electrical parts are mounted onthe piece D, and applied and removed with it. The entire mechanism maybe removed from any gas-fixture by simply unscrewing the burner B offthe threaded end of the bracket A, and then lifting off the part D andits connections. Similarly my entire apparatus may be applied to anyordinary gas-fixture by simply applying gas-tongs and unscrewing theburner B, then slipping upon the threaded end of the bracket A my pieceD, with its several attachments, then applying and firmly screwing downthe burner B again.

My invention requires no special kind or form of burner. Gas-fixturesare of so nearly uniform size that one size of my mechanism may be madeto serve for all. If, however, there should be cases where the threadedportion of A should be of much greater or less size, or if the length ofthe burner should be much greater or less than usual, I propose to makeand supply a correspondingly modified size of my mechanisms.

The parts may be made rapidly and cheaply bysuitable machinery, and maybe applied together with little labor or expense. The application to aburner is as will be seen, an unusually simple operation.

I claim as my invention The washer 1), bearing the upright D incombination with the pipe A and screw-tip B, and the arms M M M mountedupon the upright D and the insulated bar H, mounted upon the sameupright, and electric connection L and spring F, all arranged so thatthe action of the spring will keep the connection broken by drawing thebar M toward the upright, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at New York city, N.Y., this 14th day of September 1880, in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

(l. D. P. GIBSON.

Witnesses HENRY O. BANKS, J AS. D. FITZPATRICK.

